Superfoods = Supermoods

In 2007, while living as a high-functioning addict, I got very close to taking my own life. I was in a perfect storm created by substance abuse and a genetic predisposition for depression. I was under a lot of stress at work, and unhappy in my marriage.

I had quit drinking alcohol, but was smoking a lot of weed. I loved the immediate relaxed euphoria that marijuana gave me, as well as the surge of creativity I felt when I got high. But what goes up, must come down. And eventually, the cost of the highs became even lower lows. Although I had previously experienced some depression and seasonal affective disorder (SAD), this darkness was much worse. I found myself looking down into an abyss that had consumed several of my ancestors through mental illness and suicide.

My experimentation with substances began innocently enough as a teenager seeking some sort of spiritual or transcendental experience. Once I quit the booze and began working the 12 Steps in 2007, I remembered being sexually assaulted in 1990 by a “friend” on a camping trip. As most trauma survivors can attest, it is difficult to be fully embodied. And thus my use of substances was also serving as a way to soothe my undiagnosed post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). With the help of a psychotherapist and eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR) therapy, I released the PTSD that had been simmering in my subconscious for most of my adult life. Eventually, I also discovered and reprogrammed my limiting beliefs such as “I’m not enough,” which also had a hand in perpetuating my self-sabotaging and addictive behaviors.

The power of one’s mind in both healing and disease is well known. What we think about, we bring about. And where the mind goes, the body is sure to follow. It’s really easy to fall into a cycle of feeling bad and focusing on what is not going well or what we’re not doing right. This is part of the mental conditioning that seems to go hand-in-hand with perfectionism, self-destructive behaviors (like substance overuse), mood disorders, procrastination, and depression. The cycle can also be perpetuated if there are imbalances in our biochemistry and/or gut microbiome.

Although the law of attraction is always in effect, there is a lag time between creation in the mind and manifestation in the physical. And so a few years after I emerged from depression, I was riddled with disease. The thought vibration of not wanting to live in 2007 had finally manifested as a physical vibration in 2010, showing up as numerous disorders including precancerous leukemia, polycystic kidney disease, and fibromyalgia, to name a few. Because the cancer was in its earliest stages, I chose to follow an alternative, natural approach. This was the first time in my life when I truly experienced the healing power of plants and mind-body practices like yoga. With the foundation of a consistent yoga-meditation-gratitude practice, and by using a protocol of organic foods, natural supplements, and homeopathic remedies outlined by my Naturopath, I cleared my body temple of all disease naturally in only 9 months! (FYI: My life would have been so much easier if I would have had access to the superfoods nutrition program that I now follow.)

I reflect on these darker times not to punish or shame myself, but to propel myself into more awareness, grace, strength, and joy. In 2015 following my younger brother’s death from brain cancer, I relapsed. I started smoking weed once again. This time however, my manic-depressive cycles became extreme very quickly. Thankfully, my soulmate and high school crush Wes Cummings had recently reappeared in my life. With compassion, he helped me see and release the destructive pattern before it was too late.

What supports me in choosing sobriety every day? Clean, green superfood nutrition, an attitude of gratitude, daily awareness practices such as yoga and meditation, time with family, friends, and pets, listening to and playing music, and love, love, love. My mind feels clear, my moods are stable, and my energy is more balanced. I choose sobriety again and again so that I may be a clear channel for the divine, empowering myself and inspiring others to live in harmony with the greater whole of life. It is my honor to serve as a compassionate witness for other people who are struggling with depression, addiction, or disease. I belong to a tribe of wellness warriors, who, like me, are positive, passionate, peaceful, and proactive. We are at the leading edge of the human potential movement. We are committed to taking exceptional care of ourselves and our planet.

Have you been struggling with addiction? Are you facing a difficult diagnosis? Are you looking for natural ways to uplift your mood and experience more vitality? Do you want to vote with your dollars and become part of our mission to improve people’s quality of life and end human suffering?

If you are ready to live your life at the next level, I would be honored to be of service. Please reach out to me to schedule your free 15-minute insight session. Ready to see what superfoods can do for your moods? Dip your toes in the water with the Core 4, or take the plunge with the 40-Day Ultimate Nutrition kit.

Thank you for taking the time to witness to my story of transformation.